Manicure device



April 14, 1942. w. E, SHORE MANICUREDEVICE umwm/ A TORNEY INVENTORWilliam E. Shore BY MA/ atentecl pr. 14', i942 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE MANICURE DEVICE William E. Shore, West New Brighton, N. Y.Appiicaaon october 7, 1940, serial No. 360,017 11 claims. (ci. isz-75.6)

This invention relates to a manicure device and has for an object theprovision of improvements in this art. The device which is provided bythe invention is adapted to be carried on the person of the user forready accessibility at all times. It is so designed that it is of smallsize and may be carried in the pocket or handbag. It comprises elementswhich serve all normal requirements of keeping the hands in neat andclean condition, such elements being a file, a pointed scraper or tooth,a brush, a nail smoothing element, a supporting clip, and possiblyelements for other purposes. The parts or elements are mutuallynterrelated in a novel manner to protect the elements, aid in the use ofthe device, and to protect the person, pocket or handbag of the userfrom injury.

Many persons, of whom doctors and nurses` may be mentioned, mustconstantly clean their hands as an essential of their business, andothers do so for appearance and cleanliness. Each time the hands arewashed the nails may be scrubbed with a brush, using soap and water. Butthough the hands may be washed many times a day a nail brush may notalways be availabale. Because it is too large and remains wet after useit is not desirable to carry the old type brush on the person. Nor is italways desirable to use a wet brush even when available, because it maybe accessible to the general public. The brush provided by the presentinvention is adapted to be used dry or substantially so and its inbuiltcharacteristics are best realized when used dry. Preferably it is usedjust after washing the hands while the nails are still moist but thismoisture is not sufiicient to soften the bristles as is the case when abrush is constantly used in water nor does it discourage carrying thedevice about on the person of the user. However, the device comprises apilot rail and guard plate which, though primarily intended for guidingthe nails when using the brush, serves to partially enclose the brushand this makes it practically unobjectionable to carry the brush even ifwet.

This guard plate fully protects the bristles of the brush from damageand also protects the person and effects from damage by the nail scraperor tooth. l

The above and other objects and features of the invention will beapparent from the following description of certain illustrativeembodiments thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawingthereof wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of one embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a rear view;

Fig. 3 is an end view;

' unit with the plate.

`from the bristles.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial rear View;

Fig. 5 is an enlargedend view partly insection;

Fig. 6 is a rear View of a modiiication;

Fig. 7 is a bottom edge view of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a rear view of a modified guard plate; and

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawing thedevice comprises a brush holder I0 which maybel of wood, plastic composition, suitable metals or other desiredmaterial into the rupper .edge of which a row of bristles constituting abrush Il is set. There is secured to the back of the holder a guardplate l2 and pilot rail l2a, here shown as an integral This plate andrail unit may be formed of any suitable material, wood, metal orcomposition and preferably is transparent in order to view the bristlesand insure that they are kept clean. It may be secured to the holder byscrews, rivets or the like I3; or with certain materials and by certainmethods of manufacture may be made integral with the holder. Between theplate and the holder there may be secured a sheet on whichadvertisements or directions for y use may be placed. 1 v

A le I4 may be secured to the lower edgeof the holder, for example,being held in a groove thereof, by clamping it under the guard plate ,I2, by cementing, or otherwise. rPhe iile,l if it exe '.-tends beyond thesurface of the'holder, may bek roughened on both sides and be of thesame or' different coarseness. The lower edge of the holder or guardplate, or both,`thus present edges l5 parallel to the edge ofy the iilefor guiding the f nails therealong, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The guard plate I2 `may extend beyond the ends of the holder and isthere shaped to provide Scrapers or teeth I6 for cleaning beneath thenails. l The guard plateiis provided with slots Il above the teeth I6 toreceive .the ends of the nails and curved recesses Ibelow the teeth toreceive the ends of the fingers.

A groove I9 may be formed on the holder for rubbing the ends of thenails to smooth them, as shown in Fig. 5.

The bristles are set in such a way'as to place them upon tension andkeep their upper ends spaced from the guard plate l2 and nail pilot rail|2a which is formed with an angular bend away The bristles are set in'the holder at an angle to its plane, as shown in Fig. 5, but are bentback by a tension rail 22 secured to the guard plate near the base ofthe bristles.' If

desired the tension rail may be secured by being 'formed integral withthe guard plate. This pressure of the tension rail causes the bristlesto fan out along the length of the guard plate, to be sharpened attheir` ends for entry under the nails, and to stand rm slightly clear ofthe guard plate and pilot rail to allow the nails to move easilytherebetween. As shown in Fig. 5, the angle of the bristles to theholder plane and guard plate plane may preferably be about 20. Likewisethe angle of the pilot rail to the guard plate may be the same, or.20.

The ends of the teeth I6 are set backv from the ends of the guard plateon a line making an angle of about 30 with the ends extended (Fig. 4).

The teeth, instead of being formed on the guard plate itself, may beformed on theends oir' the le I4 as at IB in Figs. 6- and '7. Thisisaharder material and better adapted1 to do heavy scraping than thematerial of the guard plate.' The disposition of the teeth is the sameas before except that their ends are bent up into the plane of the guardplate: l2 for protection' as shown in Fig'. '7. The teethrnay beformedat an angle on their upper edges-t0 vmake-a sharp front line for betterscrapingaction though'this may be rounded slightly toavoid? too harshaction. Also, as shown in Fig. '7, the ends of the teeth may beformed-on a' slight angle, say'f fro'mgpe'rpendicular tothe plane of thebrush. Thetooth at each endl may thus-be' adaptedv forA then nails ofeach hand respectively.

One or all forms may be'provided with a clip 25 for securing it to' thepocket. Thisimay be attached, as'shown in-'Figs 6and-v '7, or be formedof the material' of the guard plate, a'ssho'wn a't 25' in'- Figs.' 8and-Q.- In Figs. 6 and-7-co`rrespon^d ingp'arts are designated bythesame reference' characters as in Fi'gs..l3 but with aprime ()v added andsimilarly in-Figs. 8 and 9# a double prime is added. v

It will thusbe seen-that the invention pro- Videsv af small compact"unitary device of several elements in combination which are mutuallyinterrelated with' each other and together serve all purposes requiredin manicuring thefnails. The file is protected in the holderand'the'lower edge ofthe holder or guardpla'te ori b'othserve asconvenient guides' for the nails in using thei le. Theholderanchors thebristles while the'y tension plate cooperates to shape and' stiifenthem. The-pilot ra'ildirects the nails accurately` in'l using thebristles forming' the brush. The* guard plate' and its extendedendsserve to prohv tect the bristles'. and: the endspr'ot'ect thecleaning.' teeth. Incidentally" the upper edge' of.; the' pilot rail maybe of considerable service' as' a straight edgefor drawing lines" ofsketchesl and may be marked with ai scaleV if desired.

While certain embodiments of4 the invention' havebeen illust-ratedvanddescribed it isunderstood that the inventionrnay"havev various-other'embodiments within the lirnits of the priori art and the scope of thesubjoinedfclaims,

I claimt' 1. A manicure device comprising' in` combina-- tion,a holder,a row of bristles setatV a; plane' angle in the edge of the holder', aplate secured along one side of the bristles, and? meansJon the: platet'o press'- the bristles back toi cause their" ends to stand away' fromsaid plate andi forrn. a Vthin edge and' to place them under tension.

2. A' manicure device comprising in combination, a holder, a nail lesecu-fedi onl the-"lower portion thereof so that ari edge of.v the'holder serves as aguide fon the filer-.at` row oil bristles forming'. abrush` at` the upp'e'rH portion' oi`. thef holder, a guard plate securedalongside the bristles and including an angular nail guide rail to guidethe nails down behind the bristles and to protect the bristles, saidbristles being disposed to provide a thin edge spaced from the angularnail guide rail at their upper ends and said guide rail being disposedalong a plane which strikes the bristles below their upper ends, theends of said guard plate extending beyond the ends of the holder,.andcleaning teeth at the ends of the holder protected .by the ends of theguard plate.

3. A manicure device as set forth in claim 2 which is further providedwith a smooth nail burnishing groove on the side opposite said guardplate.

4. A manicure device comprising in combination, a'holder, a row'ofbristles in one edge thereof, a. guard plate along one side of thebristles which includes an angular nail' guide rail for entering anddirecting the nails, said bristles being disposed to'provide a thin edgespacedfrom' the: angular nail guide' rail at their upper endsf and saidguide rail being' disposed along a plane which strikes the-bristlesbelow their upper ends, and cleaning teeth at the ends of the holder,the projecting ends of the plate protecting the cleaning-teeth.

o. A manicure device comprising in combination; a holder', a` row ofbristles set at a plane angle in the edge-of' the holder and havingathin upper edge, aguard plate secured along one side ofz andY spacedfrom the bristles and having its tcp edge diverging angularly away fromthe bristles below their tops to form a pilot rail t'o direct the nailsdownward and behind the top of the'bristles.

6. AA manicure device comprising in combination, a holder', a row ofbristles set in the edge ofthe holder, a guardplate secured to theholder behind the bristles, said guard plate extending beyond the ends?of saidholder, and cleaning teeth at the ends of the' holder alignedwith andspaced al shortdistance` below said guard plate ends, the". endsof the teeth being shorter than the ends ofthe guard plate whereby thehands and apparel are A protected' from injury by thef teeth;

7. A manicure device. asset forth in claim 6 further characterized'bythe fact that said teeth are concave ontheir lower' edges t'o fit theends off the fingers when the: teeth are disposedunder thefngernails.

8. A manicure deviceVVV as set' forthJ in'v claim 6 wherein said teetha're concave on their lower edges andi beveled across their upper edgesfor thejpurpos'es set-forth. n

9:' A manicure device comprising in combination, a holder, a naillesecured in the lower portionY thereofso thatan edge of the holderserves as a guide for the file, thel e'ndsofy the le being formedytopr'ovide cleaning teeth, and-a guard plate secured on the holder' andbeingv provided with projecting endsl extending beyond' the ends Y ofthe cleaning' teeth' and spaced slightly from them to protect'tliem.

